At a glance

Your chance to

At a glance

Standard hotels and guest houses, all with en suite bathrooms

6 days point-to-point walking

Gentle walking on well-graded paths

Altitude maximum 1300m

Explore Brazil's 'Lost World'

Giant flattop mountains rise above the grasslands whilst crystal-clear waterfalls, streams, underground rivers, unusual rock formations and caves are scattered between limestone escarpments. This scenery, risen from the ocean and carved by wind, water and time, greets visitors to Brazil’s 'Diamond Plateau'. Chapada Diamantina, in the northeast of the country, inland from the colonial capital of Salvador, may be little known but is Brazil’s premier trekking destination and its own Lost World.

Walk profile

Daily distance in km/miles:

Day 3

9.0km/5.6miles

Day 4

4.0km/2.5miles

Day 5

12.0km/7.5miles

Day 6

3.0km/1.9miles

Day 7

6.0km/3.7miles

Day 9

6.0km/3.7miles

Number of days walking: 6

Pace: Approximately 2-6 hours walking per day

Terrain: Low altitude; good paths

Itinerary

Show detailed itinerary

1Day 1Start Salvador.

Start Salvador
The city was established in 1549 and rapidly became a major centre of the new world. In 1558 Salvador got the dubious honour of becoming the first slave-market town in the Americas with a high demand for cheap labour to work in the sugar plantations. These large African populations would have a deep impact on the city which is, today, the most African city on the continent and the centre of Candomble, a religion with its roots in voodoo practices from West Africa.
The old town, centred around the Pelourinho neighbourhood, is characterised by its colourful houses and renaissance architecture as well as its vistas resulting from being built on a hill.See more images and videos

2Day 2To Lencois; Sunset at Pai Inacio Hill.

This morning is free to relax after yesterday's long journey. Around lunch time we will head out to the airport to catch our domestic flight to Lencois in the heart of Chapada Diamantina.
Chapada Diamantina is one of Brazil's most beautiful regions with its flat-top mountains, small villages, clear streams, waterfalls and more.
As an introduction to this stunning region we will head out to Pai Inacio Hill, one of the region's most spectacular view-points, in the late afternoon to catch the sunset over the outstretched flat-top mountains. It is an easy 25minute walk to the top of the hill but bring a torch/flash light as we'll be walking back after the sun has set.

Today we explore the Lencois region. We start in the morning by visiting the Serrano cascades, a series of small waterfalls and natural pools and the Cachoeira da Primavera (Spring Waterfall).
After a boxed lunch we head to Ribeirao do Meio, about 3.5kms from town, another series of pools where we can have a dip and plunge off a natural rock-slide (bring shorts if you want to enjoy the rock slide). Today's total walking time is approximately 4hrs.See more images and videos

Our first stop today, after a short transfer and a 40min hike, is Poco do Diablo (the Devil's Well), whose dark waters may look daunting but are really quite refreshing. Next we head to Pratinha, an oasis in an arid part of the region. The clear blue waters are inviting and the bottom of the lake has a collection of micro-conch testifying to the oceanic past of this area. We also visit Gruta Azul (Blue Grotto), just beside Pratinha, with its attractive limestone formations.
After lunch we drive to Torrinha Cave, probably the most beautiful grotto in Chapada Diamantina, full of stalagmites, stalactites and other curious cave formations. Here we will have a 2hr walk through the cave exploring its geological features. Finally, we drive to the Capao Valley for the night.See more images and videos

5Day 5Cachoera da Fumaca Waterfall hike.

Today is a longer hiking day as we visit the Cachoeira da Fumaca (Smoke Falls). The trailhead is just a short transfer from the village. From here the hike to the falls is 12kms, 6hrs round trip. This is the tallest waterfall in Brazil at 340m. The small stream of water is spread by the wind, sometimes even lifting it upwards (forming a curtain of droplets which has given the falls their name of 'smoke).
We later visit Riachinho, a series of small falls and pools, before returning to Lencois.See more images and videos

Today we visit two of Chapada Diamantina's most beautiful underground pools Poco Azul (Blue Well) and Poco Encatado (Enchanted Pool). The flooded cave of Poco Azul's waters are an unnatural hue of blue, especially when the sun comes in through a crevice and shines onto the pool. We can spend about 20mins in the incredibly clear waters here exploring the ethereal decor.
Nearby Poco Encantado is another surreal flooded cavern of incredible blues. This is particularly highlighted during the months of April-August when sun comes in through a natural window and hits the water. Swimming is not allowed here.
After exploring these fairy-tale caverns we continue to the village of Igatu. Today Igatu has less than 400 inhabitants but back in the early 19th Century it was a town of 9,000 people. The draw was a nearby mine of black-diamonds (most of which were used to dig tunnels for the London Underground and the Panama Canal. After checking in to our hotel we will visit the nearby ruins of what is now a ghost town and learn about more prosperous days. Total walking time today is aproximately 2hrs).

Today we visit another part of the park as we head to Ibicoara, about 2.5 hours away in the South of Chapada Diamantina. Our purpose is to hike to Buracao (Big Hole) Waterfall. Only discovered in 2001, this is a definite highlight. This waterfall stands at more than 85m and tumbles over into a narrow canyon making for an incredibly picturesque setting but what makes this a special experience is that to get to the waterfall you need to hike for a while and then swim for a while (life vests are provided and you do not have to be a strong swimmer). The round trip to the base of the falls and back is about 3hrs.
We later drive back to Igatu.

This morning we will have a guided walking tour of historic Salvador, exploring some of the city's cobbled streets, churches, colonial buildings and squares. The old town, Pelourinho, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is also home to artist studios and galleries and cafes. This tour lasts about 4hrs. There should be time left for some last minute souvenir shopping before those on the group flights head to the aiport for an overnight flight. The land only tour ends this afternoon.See more images and videos

Your images

Adult Group

This is a small group adult holiday. The group is usually between 4 and 16 in size, with an average of 12 like-minded clients booking individually, in a couple or as friends together.

Activity level

You are reasonably fit, enjoy the outdoors and are looking for some exercise. Some previous experience is preferable for activity based trips.

What's included

What's included

All breakfasts, 5 lunches, 3 dinners

All accommodation (see below)

All transport and listed activities

Tour leader throughout

Flights from London (if booking incl. flights)

What's not included

Travel insurance

Single accommodation (available on request)

Visas or vaccinations

Accommodation details

Hotels & Pousadas

We use a mix of pousadas (guest houses) and hotels. In Salvador we stay in a comfortable hotel near the ocean. In Chapada Diamantina we stay in three different charming pousadas in Lencois, the Capao Valley and Igatu. All accommodation is en suite.

Essential info

Vaccinations and Visa
Holders of British passport do not require a visa for Brazil.
There are no mandatory vaccination requirements. Recommended vaccinations are: Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Typhoid, Hepatitis A, Yellow Fever. The risk of malaria is slight but you may wish to consult your GP or travel health clinic for further advice. Dengue fever is a known risk in places visited. It is a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available for Dengue, and therefore the best form of prevention is to avoid being bitten. We recommend you take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites. Holiday style

This is a gentle walking holiday with hikes lasting between 2 and 6hrs. The terrain is changing but generally not strenuous though there can be the odd short steep climb. The climate can get very hot, though there are occasions to take refreshing dips on some of the walks.
There are a number of occasions to go swimming, including to access Buracao Falls. You do not, however, need to be a particularly strong swimmer.
We stay in Pousadas (guest houses) and hotels, and travel around by private bus.

Eating & drinking

All breakfasts, 5 lunches, 3 dinners.
Meals are included as per the itinerary. Most of the lunches are lunch-boxes which are generally made up of 2 sandwiches, 1 fruit, 1 fruit juice, 1 egg, dried fruit, peanuts and candy.

Trip notes

Download the detailed trip notes for everything you could possibly want to know about this trip, including
detailed itinerary and full kit list

Weather & seasonality

Chapada Diamantina can be visited year-round though the best time is March-October with August-October being the driest months. During the rainy season there tends to be short-sharp rain bursts followed by good weather, this is also the best time to see the waterfalls at their fullest.

Salvador's weather is fairly similar year-round. April to June are the wettest month but the rain and sun occur through-out the year (with more sun than rain). Mean temperatures tend to hover around the mid-twenties with average highs ranging from 26-30degC.

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